Patna, Feb. 6: Greedy traders adulterating eatables, beverages and even life-saving medicines is passé. The love for fast bucks is driving many to indulge in the practice of injecting contaminated blood into patients.

Officials in Red Cross Society and Bihar State AIDS Control Society (BSACS) said there were reports of the blood mafia active in Bihar coming up with the idea of blood adulteration. They allegedly mix saline with blood in the ratio of 3:10.

“The problem does not end at a few people selling blood and the needy buying it. Dilution of blood is even more serious. Many hospitals indulge in the practice and prepare a mixture of salt and blood. This is not only illegal but also dangerous. The worst part is the government is not taking these complaints seriously. There is no fear among those involved in illegal transfusion of blood,” said Dr Vinay Bahadur Sinha, chairman, Red Cross Blood Bank.

“The refrigerated saline water is mixed carefully in the blood bag where the blood is stored after collecting it from a donor. About 75cc saline water is mixed to about 250cc blood to make one unit. This practice is more prevalent to meet the demand of negative blood groups. Ironically, the doctors are well aware of this blood-selling mafia thriving in the state but no one is doing anything,” he said.

Dr Vinay Bahadur said: “This is happening because there is a huge gap between supply and demand. The government will have to do aggressive campaigning like polio and AIDS awareness to ensure that we increase the voluntary blood donation practice among people. It is a kind of culture that we will have to inculcate among people. Only then the healthy blood transfusions can be ensured.”

Sanjay Kumar Sinha, a consultant of the voluntary blood donation wing of BSACS, said the malpractice could be stopped only by increasing the voluntary blood donation percentage.

“Bihar needs about 10 lakh units of blood annually. Of it, only one-third is met through voluntary donation. The rest of the demand is being met by illegal transfusion. If we can increase the percentage of voluntary blood donation, the gap between the demand and the supply will reduce considerably and these kind of unethical practices will come to an end,” said Sinha.

Besides, several private hospitals and laboratories in Bihar sell blood given by professional donors. The alarming trend has forced the state health department to instruct district magistrates and superintendents of police to take action against hospitals involved in illegal practice of selling blood for money.

“The Supreme Court banned professional blood-selling in 1998 but a number of private blood banks indulge in the illegal process of purchasing blood in a clandestine manner. We are increasingly getting complaints that many hospitals are using the blood sold by professional donors. That has opened the door for contaminated blood to be sold to those in need. This is not only illegal but also dangerous because in these cases the blood is not tested for HIV infection, malaria, syphilis, hepatitis B and C. This is a matter of great concern for us,” said a senior official with the health department.

The official added: “The principal secretary has recently instructed to form teams, led by the drug inspector, in every district and carry out raids on hospitals and private labs that are not authorised blood banks. They have been asked to inform the senior cops and district administration about the illegal practitioners. Action would be initiated against those found guilty.”

The Red Cross Society welcomed the government initiative to take action against the rule violators. But its officials said the evil practices would not stop unless there was enough awareness among people, especially youngsters, regarding the need of voluntary blood donation. A recent report prepared by the Bihar Red Cross Society shows the percentage of voluntary blood donation against total collection stands at a poor 28 per cent in the state. Total number of blood banks in Bihar, including government, private and Red Cross Society-owned centres, is over 50.

An official of the society said: “The percentage of voluntary blood donation had slightly improved from 10 to 28 per cent in the past four to five years but it is a disappointing figure.”